New 5-Year Contract Approved by IBEW 1837 Members at Brookfield in Maine

February 28, 2018 - IBEW Local #1837 members at Brookfield Renewable’s hydroelectric assets in Maine have ratified a new, 5-year contract. Members will see a 12.75% increase in wages over the term of the agreement while maintaining their level of benefits.

“This is a good contract,” said IBEW 1837 Business Manager Dick Rogers. “The members will receive a wage increase similar to or even a little better than workers at other Brookfield hydro assets.”

In addition, minimum call-outs for members were increased to 4 hours for regular call-outs to 6 hours on holidays.

Stipendable skillsets were changed which will qualified more than half of the members to receive more money beginning in 2019.

New employees will now get holidays immediately after being hired instead of having to wait for six months.

“There were no losses and most of the (members) seemed to be happy,” said IBEW 1837 Chief Steward Ed Goodale. “The negotiations themselves went well. The company proposed some changes including adding a stand-by policy and changing the management rights clause but we were successful in getting them to drop those.”

IBEW 1837 Business Representative Renee Gilman also joined the Union Negotiating Team.

IBEW Local #1837 represents 29 Brookfield hydroelectric asset employees in Maine. According the Company’s website, Brookfield’s “hydro and wind portfolio provides nearly 6,000 MW of clean and renewable energy in 13 states and three provinces across North America.”